Arctic Circle Race Greenland
for cross-country skiers 7.-14. April 1997

All you want to know about an extraordinary winter event
- a race for cross-country skiers from the ice cap to the sea in pure, virgin wilderness.



The Race

We invite you to compete in an international race that will enchant even old hands at cross-country skiing. In three days you will cover a distance of 160 kilometres (100 miles) from the ice cap to the sea, through largely untouched and uninhabited wilderness. You will be accompanied by hunters with dogsledges carrying your equipment and luggage. The race will start near the harbour in Kangerlussuaq (Sondre Strom, 281 inhabitants) north of the polar circle, only 25 kilometres from the ice cap and ends in the town Sisimiut


(Holsteinsborg 4,839 inhabitants) by the sea. The track goes through open, hilly country without trees. You will pass high mountains, cross minor passes, ravines and different frozen lakes. The country varies from easy to hilly. On the three sections, overnight accommodation will be provided in tent camps.
In Kangerlussuaq you will see big, sedate musk oxen weighing more than 300 kilos and may also see reindeer, hares and ptarmigans.



Index

The route programme
Tour programme
Prices
Registration and payment
Organizer
Accommodation
Board
Safety
Temperatures
How the Race will be run
Check list
Requirement concerning competitors
Further information on the race
Programme for companions
Insurances
Demands for participation
A peaceable people



The route programme

You can register for 3 different starting days:

Group I
Arrival Greenland Monday, 7 April. Start the race Wednesday 9, April. Finish the race Friday, 11 April. Departure Greenland Monday, 14 April.


Group II
Arrival Greenland Tuesday, 8 April. Start the race Thursday 10, April. Finish the race Saturday 12, April. Departure Greenland Tuesday, 15 April.

Group III (elite)
Arrival Greenland Wednesday, 9 April. Start the race Friday, 11 April. Finish the race Sunday, 13 April. Departure Greenland Wednesday, 16 April.




Tour programme

Day 1 - Arrivals

Group I - Monday, 7 April 1997
Copenhagen - Kangerlussuaq on SAS SK 291 10h20 a.m. Arrival 11h10 a.m. local time (connection flights from Oslo, Stockholm and other European cities).

Group II - Tuesday 8, April 1997.
Copenhagen - Kangerlussuaq (as above)

Ottawa- Kangerlussuaq on First Air (7F/GL868/968) 07h00 a.m. Arrival 1h55 p.m. local time.

Keflavik- Kangerlussuaq onGreenlandair GL 745 3h40 p.m. Arrival 17h10 p.m. local time.

Group III (elite) - Wednesday 9, April 1997.
Copenhagen - Kangerlussuaq (as above)

After arrival and settling in at the youth hostel in Kangerlussuaq, there will be a briefing about the Race. The rest of the day is your own for preparation/training around Kangerlussuaq. A special track will be marked out for this purpose. In the evening there will be a pasta-party for all skiers.

Day 2:
The whole day will be spent on training and preparation for the race.

Day 3:
Start from Kangerlussuaq with your group.


The day´s section is approx 55 kilometres (35 miles) . The track crosses several frozen lakes. The day´s section ends at Camp I, where everyone will rest in small tents, prepare their own special food, eat and relax for the next lap.

Day 4:
Start from Camp I.
The day´s section is approx. 50 kilometres (31 miles). Like in Camp I you will be accommodated in small tents.

Day 5:
The last section, of approx. 55 kilometres (35 miles), will be run with pursuit start. It will end in the afternoon in the charming town of Sisimiut. After settling in at the youth hostel or the sports centre, everyone can take a wellearned rest. The day will end with a party with local entertainment, award of diplomas and prizes for your group.

Day 6:
In the morning you will be taken on a short sightseeing tour of Sisimiut. A few hours later a big S-61 helicopter will take you back to Kangerlussuaq in groups of 18 skiers (about 2 1/2 hours per return flight). On the flight you will have the opportunity of seeing the 160 kilometre track from the air.

Day 7:
The day is spend in Kangerlussuaq. It is a "buffer" day in case of bad weather on the track. In the evening a farewell dinner for alle skiiers in your group.



Day 8 - Departure

Time to say goodbye to Greenland.

Group I
Monday, 14 April with SAS flight SK 292, departure 12h45 p.m. - arrival 9h05 p.m. local time in Copenhagen(connection flights to the rest of Europe).

Group II
Tuesday, 15 April with SAS flight SK 292, departure 12h45 p.m. - arrival 9h05 p.m. local time in Copenhagen (connection flights to the rest of Europe).

Tuesday, 15 April with Greenlandair flight GL740 departure 6h15 a.m. - arrival 14h45 p.m. local time in Keflavik.

Group III (elite)
Wednesday, 16 April with SAS flight SK 292, departure 12h45 p.m. - arrival 9h05 p.m. local time in Copenhagen (connection flights to the rest of Europe).

Wednesday, 16 April with First Air flight 7F/GL969/869 departure 1h40 p.m. - arrival 6h35 p.m. local time in Ottawa (flying with First Air will give you an extra day in Kangerlussuaq).



Price

Copenhagen
DKK 8,900 per person (8 days) including return air transport Copenhagen-Kangerlussuaq and helicopter flight from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq, transfers and accommodation - 5 nights at youth hostels or sports centres and 2 nights in tent camps. The price also includes initial charge for the race, diploma, transport of your luggage during the race and accommodation in tent camps during the race. Food is included in Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut. The excursion in Sisimiut is included. Provisioning when you are on the track is not included (see board).

Canada
USD 2.000 or CAD 2,800 per person (9 days), including return air transport from Ottawa, tranfers - 6 nights at youth hostels or sports centre and 2 nights in tent camps. The rest of the included/not included things are equal to the Copenhagen programme.


Scandinavia
Reykjavik: DKK 9,500,-
Oslo: DKK 10,500,-
Stavanger: DKK 10,650,-
Bergen: DKK 10,900,-
Stockholm: DKK 10,500,-
Göteborg: DKK 10,650,-
Prices include the return air transport from the mentioned cities. The rest of the programme is equal to the Copenhagen programme (Overnights in Copenhagen, if any, are not included).

Other countries in Europe
The total price is the Copenhagen price DKK 8,900 (approx. US$ 1,540, DM 2,300) plus connections (Overnights in Copenhagen, if any, are not included). Connection flights to Copenhagen from the rest of Europe are approx. DKK 1,000 - 2,000 for return tickets.


Organizer

Greenland Ski Federation
P.O. Box 84
DK-3900 Nuuk
Greenland
Phone +299 7 14 12
Fax. +299 2 54 65



Accommodation

In Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut: youth hostel or sports centre. In the camps you will be accommodated in Helsport tents for 2-3 persons special suited for the purpose. You need to bring your own sleeping bag (approved for until minus -15 degrees


Celcius) and thermal underlay. In the camps there are no sanitary facilities. Toilets will be placed in small tents or huts.



Board

In Kangerlussuaq full board will be provided, consisting of good food made with fine raw materials, suited to skiiers' dietary needs. During the race you must bring your own special food and beverage from home, for example freeze dried food. We have chosen this solution in order to give you the free choice of food during the race. At the camps you will be provided with a Trangia cooking gear for preparation of your own food. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be served on arrival in the camps. Beverages (water) will be handed out before the start of every section.


En route drink stations, will be provide you with water for your water-belt. In Sisimiut full board is included.
Transport of your equipment and food during the race
On the race you must bring a small rucksack with room for something to drink and eat plus safety equipment. Dog sledges or snow-scooters will carry your sleeping bag, thermal underlay, food, and personal equipment. Please use a handy bag for the transportation (for example a travel bag). Maximum weight of the luggage you want to have transported is 15 kg including extra ski equipment.



Safety

Every possible step has been taken to ensure the safety of the competitors.The track has been tested, retested and marked.


The track will be patrolled by dog sledges/snowscooters several times a day. The two camps and the people controlling the track are in VHF radio contact.



Temperatures

The worst winter frost is over in April and the average temperatures are:

Kangerlussuaq Sisimiut
Min -16,9 C / 1,5 F -14,4 C / 6,1 F
Max -4,7 C / 23,5 F -8,2 C / 17,2 F
Average -11,4 C / 11,5 F -9,8 C / 14,4 F


In April there is an average of 17 hours and 30 minutes of daylight.

The weather can change several times during the same day from strong sunshine with temperatures around 0 degrees C to cloudy and windy weather with low visibility and colder temperatures. Due to the very dry climate the coldness does not feel so strong.



How the Race will be run

The race will be run in classic style. Depending on the weather the track will be preparared for classic style. Each day a group of max. 72 skiers will be sent on their way, starting together from the starting line. The times will be registered at each section. The last section will be carried out with pursuit start.


The skiers will be divided into 5 age classes (18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-). Everyone completing the race will receive a diploma. Prizes will be awarded to the best male and female skier in each of the three starting groups. The skiers' rucksacks must have a minimum weight of at least 5 kilos at the start of each section and 3 kilos when the finishing line is passed.






Check list

You will have little or no possibility of buying supplementary skiing equipment or special provisioning for the race - so you must bring it with you from home. In Kangerlussuaq there is a shop with everyday necessities. This shop has a selection of common non-perishable food. In Sisimiut there is a number of grocery stores with a wide selection of ordinarygoods suited for the inhabitants use. For that reason you must bring the following equipment with you to Greenland.

- all necessary skiing equipment including ski wax and clothing


- sleeping bag (down to minus 15 degrees Celsius/5 Fahrenheit)
- thermal underlay
- small rucksack
- waterbelt
- sun-goggles
- sun cream with high protection factor
- food for the 3 days race
- compass



Requirement concerning competitors

Reservations are taken for changes in the arrangements due to flights, weather and for cancellation in the event of too few competitors. The race is limited to 216 skiers.

The weather situation can force the organizer to change the route.



In the event of sudden change in the weather it may be necessary to spend an extra day at one of the camps and thereby the race will be prolonged by a day. This means you will stay one day less in either Sisimiut or Kangerlussuaq. Day 7 in the programme is a "buffer" day.



Further information onthe race

Greenland Tourism a/s
P.O. Box 1139
DK-1010 Copenhagen K.
Denmark
Phone +45 33 13 69 75 / Fax. +45 33 93 38 83
E-mail: greenfo@inet.uni-c.dk



If you have questions regarding registration, payment or the flight to Greenland/Kangerlussuaq please contact Team Arctic (see below).



Programme for companions

Arctic Circle Race have an alternative programme for companions.


If you are interested in the alternative programme we refer to Team Arctic´s special ACR tour programme.



Insurances

We recommend that all participants take out a health


and travel insurance covering sports events.



Demands for participation

In order to participate in the race you must be 18 years old, be experienced in cross country skiing tours of
longer duration, have a good condition and health, a strong


mentality and have experience with overnights in tents during the winter.



Registration and payment

Please fill in the enclosed registration form and send it to:

Team Arctic
Amager Landevej 171 C
DK-2770 Kastrup
Denmark
Phone +45 32 52 30 66 / Fax. +45 32 52 30 86


When Team Arctic has received your registration and payment - they will confirm your participation and forward the airplane ticket and the detailed programme for the race.



A peaceable people in Greenland

Greenland is blessed with a peaceable people that has never waged war with anyone, and people are generally incredibly hospitable, showing great openness to visitors. The population of Greenland is predominantly Iniut, a people bearing an affinity and solidarity with the Inuits in Canada, Alaska and Siberia. In actual fact, it is only 130 years since the last immigration from Canada took place and in recent decades, particularly, there has been reciprocal cultural exchange between these peoples.
As a result of the European presence on the west coast for several hundred years, the Greenlandic population today is, in the best sense of the phrase, a melting-pot culture. Approx. 20% of the population was born outside Greenland, though of course the official language is still Greenlandic.
Today, the population is well educated. And with its well


developed infrastructure and various high-tech aids, Greenland is now a modern society, despite its naturally endowed ferocity.
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but since the introduction of Home Rule in 1979, Greenland has moved towards an increasing degree of internationally oriented independence based on parlamentary democracy - a development that has taken place on Greenland's own terms.
The Greenlandic people are few in number - 55,000 in an enormous country of 2,175,600 sq.km.
That means in reality that there are 39.5 sq. km. for every Greenlander, so it goes without saying that there´s room for everyone, even though everyone naturally settles along the coast.







E-mail Greenland Tourism a/s
Greenland Tourism Info-desk
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This information is provided by Greenland Tourism a/s, the official tourist board of Greenland

Provided by Greenland Guide & Greenland Tourism
http://www.greenland-guide.dk